Study finds spanking triggers vicious cycle

4:53 PM,
Apr. 5, 2014

Written by

Dennis Thompson
HealthDay

Parents who spank unruly children may not know it, but they are participating in a vicious cycle that will lead to both more spankings and more misbehavior in coming years, a new study suggests.

Researchers wanted to resolve the age-old "chicken-and-egg" question that surrounds the issue of physical discipline in childhood - do spankings promote aggression in children, or do naturally aggressive children simply receive more spankings as parents try to control their behavior?

The answer is yes to both, said study author Michael MacKenzie, an associate professor at the Columbia ...